As voter registration deadlines loom, immigrants seek citizenship for right to vote

Record ID: 82212

  • Title: As voter registration deadlines loom, immigrants seek citizenship for right to vote
  • Date: 17th October 2016
  • Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (SEPTEMBER 16, 2016) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF JEFFERSON MEMORIAL CLOSE-UP OF MEMORIAL FACADE U.S. FLAG COLOR GUARD HOLDING FLAGS DURING NATIONAL ANTHEM VARIOUS OF IMMIGRANTS STANDING DURING NATIONAL ANTHEM
  • Embargoed: 1st November 2016 16:51
  • Keywords: elections politics Donald Trump Hillary Clinton naturalization naturalization ceremonies naturalized citizens naturalized voters voter registration immigration
  • Location: WASHINGTON, D.C. / NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
  • City: WASHINGTON, D.C. / NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Elections/Voting
  • Reuters ID: LVA00154FBKNB
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: As voter registration deadlines loom across the United States, immigration organizations hope the surging demographic of this year's naturalized citizens will register in time to vote in the Nov. 8 presidential election.
    Naturalization applications from October to June have increased by 8 percent this year compared to 2012, according to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
    While an uptick in naturalization applications during an election year is not unusual, some organizations say this increase stems directly from the race between Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.
    "This election has been particularly divisive around immigration, and a lot of our students have cited the rhetoric coming out of the elections as a reason for why they want to pursue citizenship," said Rachel Gittinger, director of citizenship and civic engagement at Washington, D.C.-based Central American Resource Center (CARECEN), which has seen a 40 percent increase in immigrants applying for citizenship this year.
    The two major party candidates differ greatly in their immigration policies. Trump launched his presidential campaign vowing to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexican border and promised to deport those who have arrived recently or overstayed their visas.
    Clinton, meanwhile, has promised to propose broad legislation within her first 100 days in office to overhaul the immigration system and, like President Barack Obama, would take execution actions to defer deportations.
    Mayra Chang came from Lima, Peru five years ago and took her oath of citizenship and pledge of allegiance in a naturalization ceremony at the Jefferson Memorial in September. She said the election motivated her to seek citizenship.
    "It's really big. From 1 to 10, it's 10. It's really big for me," she said.
    Chang said she was particularly disappointed with Trump's comments last year that Mexicans crossing the border illegally are "rapists" bringing crime.
    "I want to be able to speak up and show the wrong things that some candidates are saying about my community," Chang said. "And I feel really offended and really hurt about those words that have been said."
    Walter Llontop Araujo, an undecided voter who also naturalized in September, said he was excited to finally have the chance to vote.
    "It's my first time I am going to vote and I have been waiting for this. I'm going to be part of this election with a new president. This is a great opportunity to do this. That's all I can say," Llontop said.
    What remains to be seen is whether the people representing the more than 500,000 naturalization applications approved since last October actually turn out to vote.
    Leon Rodriguez, the director of USCIS, said he's hopeful that the uptick in naturalized citizens will translate into a higher voter turnout.
    "One of the things I say about the motivation to vote, I'm an optimist. I'm hoping all of our new citizens will vote not just in this election, but elections for 50 to 60 years to come," Rodriguez said.
    The first states with voter registration deadlines were Mississippi and South Carolina. Both states required in-person registration by Oct. 8. Virginia requires mail-in forms and in-person registration forms be turned in by Oct. 17 while Maryland's deadline is Oct. 18.
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